The electric power industry has for many years recognized that thermal decomposition of the oil and other insulating materials within oil-insulated electrical apparatus can lead to the generation of a number of “fault gases. These phenomena occur in equipment such as oil filled transformers (both conservator and gas-blanketed types), load tap changers, transformer windings, bushings and the like. The presence of fault gases may be a measure of the condition of the equipment. As such, detection of the presence of specific fault gases in electrical apparatus, and quantification of those gases can be an important part of a preventative maintenance program.
The presence of fault gases in oil-blanketed transformers with conservators and other utility assets has well documented implications relating to the performance and operating safety of the transformer. There is a substantial body of knowledge available correlating the presence of gases with certain, identified transformer conditions and faults. It is therefore beneficial to monitor the condition of dielectric fluids in electric equipment as a means to maximize performance, and at the same time minimize wear and tear on the equipment, and to thereby minimize maintenance costs and down time. Thus, information relating to the presence or absence of certain fault gases in transformer oil can lead to greatly increased efficiency in the operation of the transformer.
As an example, it is known that the presence of certain fault gases in transformer oil can be indicative of transformer malfunctions, such as arcing, partial or coronal discharge. These conditions can cause mineral transformer oils to decompose generating relatively large quantities of low molecular weight hydrocarbons such as methane, in addition to some higher molecular weight gases such as ethylene and acetylene. Such compounds are highly volatile, and in some instances they may accumulate in a transformer under relatively high pressure. This is a recipe for disaster. Left undetected or uncorrected, equipment faults can lead to an increased rate of degradation, and even to catastrophic explosion of the transformer. Transformer failure is a significantly expensive event for an electric utility, not only in terms of down time and the costs of replacement equipment, but also in terms of the costs associated with lost power transmission. On the other hand, by closely monitoring dissolved gases in transformer oil, the most efficient operating conditions for a given transformer can be actively monitored and the transformer load may be run at or near its optimum peak. Moreover, when dangerous operating conditions are detected the transformer can be taken off line for maintenance.
Despite the known need for reliable equipment to monitor gas in oil, designing equipment that holds up to the rigors of on-site conditions has been problematic for a variety of reasons. That said, there are a number of solutions known in the art. For example, mechanical/vacuum and membrane extraction methods and apparatus for degassing transformer oil are well known, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,126. This patent discloses a method of sampling headspace gas in an electrical transformer, analyzing such gases according to a temperature and pressure dependent gas partition function, and based on the derived analysis predicting specific transformer faults.
An example of a gas extraction apparatus that relies upon a membrane tube for extraction of gas from transformer oil is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,737. This patent depicts a plurality of hollow membrane fibers, which are inserted directly into transformer oil in the transformer housing. The material used for the membrane is impermeable to oil, but gases dissolved in the oil permeate through the membrane into the hollow interior of the fibers. A portable analytical device such as a gas chromatograph is temporarily connected to the probe so that the test sample is swept from the extraction probe into the analytical device for analysis.
Although these devices have provided benefits, there are numerous practical problems remaining to the development of reliable apparatus for extraction, monitoring and analysis of fault gases in transformer oils. Many of these problems relate to the design of reliable fluid routing systems that are redundant enough to provide a relatively maintenance free unit. Since transformers are often located in exceedingly harsh environmental conditions, fluid routing problems are magnified. This is especially true given that the instruments needed to reliably analyze the gases are complex analytical instruments. Two patents that describe the difficulties of these engineering challenges are U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,391,096 and 6,365,105, which are owned by the assignee of this invention and both of which are incorporated herein by this reference. These two patents illustrate not only the complexities of the fluid routing systems needed, but solutions that have proved very reliable.
One of the most critical points in the analytical process is the extraction apparatus, where gas is actually separated from the electrical insulating oil. While there are several known apparatus for accomplishing this task, experience has shown that the extractor is one point where failure can occur. Stated another way, extraction devices to date have been more fragile than desired and cannot fully withstand the extreme conditions that are routinely encountered in field applications. As a result, additional support equipment or operation constraints are added to compensate for the performance shortcomings and to protect the extraction technology, which adds considerably to the cost. Despite advances in the technological solutions surrounding the extraction devices, especially those described in the '096 and '105 patents, there is a need for an extractor that is reliable and performs accurately under all conditions for substantial lengths of time without being monitored.